Amusement apparatus



Patented July`7, 192.5.

Urilrlaiil STAT-Es i PATENT OFFICE. o

Yenorm-*fn A. yHENsLnY;"or MoNT'A VISTA'CALrroRNIA. y.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed February 12,- 1923. 'Serial No. 618,453.A Y

`ject of the invention is to'prov-ide a danceY floor which incorporates the chance of receiving a bonus or p resent'with the pleasure of dancing. I

v The invention possesses othery advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in-the following description, where I shall outline in full that form of the embodiment of my` invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification.Y

In said drawings, I have shown one form of apparatus embodying my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as set forth in the claims may be embodied in al plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings: lFigure 1 is a perspective view, somewhat diagrammatic, of a ball-room arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a dance floor embodying my invention. yFig. 3 isV an elevation ofthe uncontrollable selecting device forming part of my invention.

In accordance with my-invention I provide means for adding to the pleasure of dancing by introducingthe elements of chance. The dance floor is divided into a plurality of areas of different colors and having different numerical values, and at the end of a dance, presents or bonuses are awarded to the dancers standing on the areas corresponding in color and number value to the color and number selected by any uncontrollablefapparatus, such as a wheel of chance, which is divided into sections of different color, each of which sections has a numerical value.

Thus, if the wheel of chance stops at a blue -section bearing the number 3 the persons A. Hamm,

standing on thc blue sections ofthe floor will receive bonuses or presents of one nature Vand the couple standing on the area having the numerical value of 3 willreceivea present or bonus of a different nature.

In accordance with my invention the dance floor is preferably divided into a plurality ofcontiguous areaspreferably rectangular in shape; These areas maybe defined` by lines formed in or onthe iioor or may be defined entirely by the colors of the various areas.A In accordance with my invent-ion a- ,.plurality of the areas are colored with one color, for instance blue, a plurality are colored with anotherV color, for instance red, and other areas are colored with another color, for instance black. These areas are distributed over the floor so that they occur in different parts thereof 4and so that all of the areas of onevcolor are not congregated. The floor is further provided with a plurality of uncolored or neutral areas, in

lso faras color is concerned, which color neutral areas havediferent numerical values and these numerical value areas are distributed. over the dance floor. The numerical values of the areas may be indicated by painting on the iioor or .by insetting metal numerals inthe-Hoor, or by arranging illuminated numerals in the 'Hoor or by other means. There is thus provided a dance iioor having a plurality of areas of numeral value and a plurality of series of areas of color value, the areas of each series being of the same color. Y

Means are also provided, which are visible from all parts of the dance floor Vfor uncontrollably selecting a number and a color. This means may consist of the image of a wheel of chance or roulette wheel which is projected by a stereopticon or other means onto one of the walls of the ballroom. The transparent slide in the stereopticon has a rotatable portion carrying a circular band of numbers corresponding to the numbers on the dance floor arranged on colored areas, the colors corresponding to the colorsof the areas on the dance floor. The rotatable portion of the vslide-in the stereopticon 3 is rotated causing a rotation of the image 4 on the Wall and when the rotatable portion of the slide comes to rest an indicator 5 on the wall points to the numeral and color selected.

drawing there arel seven red areas A, sevenV blue areas B and seven black areas C. There are twenty-one numeral areas D, the number of -areas into which the lloor is divided may be varied to snit the size of the floor, and it is to be understood that thisV invention is not limited to the specific ar-V rangement ci thefloor shown in the drawing. `Since there are seven more chances of the selected color number being selected by the indicator than there are for the selected numeral value to be selected by the indicator the couple standing on the numeral value will receive a present or bonus approximately seven vtimes the value of the present or bonus received by the couples standing on the color Value.

This arrangement may be advantageously used in connection with what are known as pay as you enter77 dances, in which the couple pay a fee every time they enter 'upon the licor, and the value of thebenuses vdistributed at the end oit each dance will'be approximately equal to the ai'nountreeeived in fees for the dance less the cost of operation of the dance. l.

Dance floors have been proposed heretotore having numbered spots and at the l.end of the dance 'a number was selected by wheel el' chance and the couple standing on that number received a present. The limita tions of that`r system however were that only one couple could receive a present in any one dance7 whereas, Vin the present system a large number of couples may receive'presents at the end of every dance.V

This introduces the much sought yafter sporting chance into the dance and renders it much'more enjoyable."

The lucky number. and colormay be selected in any desired manner -and itis to Vbe understood that it is not necessary tha` a projection machine be employed, but such an arrangement is desirable since it permits all of the dancers to immediately perceive the selected number and color.

I claim: Y y

l. The combination with a dancefloor having alternate areas of different color and number value, of means for selecting by chance one of said colorsV and one ot said numbers.

2. The combination with .a dance floor having a plurality oi areas of one color and a plurality ot' Aareas of another color, and a plurality or areas of dierent numeral value,v of means for Selecting byv chance, one of said colors and one of said numbers.

3..A dance floor havinga plurality ot areas of one color, a plurality ot areas et another color anda plurality of areas et different numerical value, said lareas being arranged in ,a plurality ofrows in which the mimei'ical and colored areas are alternately arranged. Y f y -V 1l. A dance floor having a plurality of series Vci" areas, the areas of one series being et a dillcrent color from the areas of the other series`r a plurality of areasfhaving numeral value, a wall adjacent said floor and means for projectingon the wall the image ot one otsaid numbers and one .of said colors.V Y v f 5. The combination with a dance floor having a plurality of distributed areas ot' one color, a plurality Vo-t distributed areas otanothe'r color, a plurality of distributed Y areas havingV different numeral value, said areas being arranged in a plurality of rows in which the numerical and colored areas are arranged alternately and means visible from all parts of the iloor for selecting one of said colors and one of said numbers.

'In testimony whereof, l have hereunto' set my hand. Y

GEURGE A. HENSLEY. 

